Milan, Stockholm present bids to host 2026 Winter Olympics

Milan, Stockholm present bids to host 2026 Winter Olympics

OLYMPICS- Italian city Milan and Swedish capital Stockholm presented a joint bid on Wednesday to host the 2026 Winter Olympics.

The Swiss city of Sion and an Austrian bid based around Graz withdrew. Canadian city of Calgary also withdrew its bid after residents roundly rejected it in a referendum.

Milan mayor Giuseppe Sala told delegates from 206 Olympic committees from around the world, “I’m proud to say that the citizens have responded with remarkable enthusiasm to the vision and challenge of becoming an Olympic host city."

He said the bid combined the attraction of the Alps – “the most beautiful mountains in the world” – and the city of Milan, which he said was a “globally recognised brand” as well as a “symbol of style and elegance.”